


Maleficent

by Kispexi2



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-15
Updated: 2008-07-15
Packaged: 2017-10-08 08:08:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/74485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kispexi2/pseuds/Kispexi2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A pre-journey story.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Maleficent

**Author's Note:**

> A pre-journey story.

The smell of cooking hit Sanzo half-way across the street. It was a hot day and Hakkai – it had to have been Hakkai; Gojyo was hardly a fresh-air fiend - had flung all the windows open, allowing the deep, rich scent of beef and mushrooms to escape, the tang of mirin and soy wafted along in their wake.

Sukiyaki. Goku's very favourite dish ever since Hakkai had first made it six months ago. But that had been in winter, the appropriate time for stew. It was summer now – leading Sanzo to conclude, with no little irritation, that Hakkai was spoiling the monkey again. He stomped up the path and, without bothering to knock, pushed the front door open, ready to make his feelings on the subject abundantly clear.

He didn't get the chance because Goku immediately seized his bag and jumped to his feet.

"C'mon, Sanzo," he urged, grabbing Sanzo's sleeve and tugging on it. "Let's go."

The table was set for four and Hakkai and Gojyo had already taken their seats. Hakkai appeared to be right in the middle of ladling the stew into bowls. There was steam rising in wispy tendrils from Gojyo's plate and the liquor surrounding the small islands of meat and vegetables it held rippled invitingly, dark and glossy.

"_Sanzo_!" Goku whined with another impatient tug.

Sanzo blinked. There was food on the table – food that even _he_ had to admit smelt divine – and the monkey wanted to leave. Had he fallen and hit his head or something?

"You don't want to eat first?" Sanzo asked, because the notion was so very incredible it needed verifying.

The corners of Goku's mouth turned down and his bottom lip jutted. "No. I jus' wanna go home."

There was something badly wrong, that much was certain.

"Fine," Sanzo agreed tightly. "But go take a piss first. I'm not having you peeing in someone's hedge on the way home again."

Goku gave a small grunt, dropped his bag back down onto the floor and trailed off to the bathroom. As soon as he was gone, Sanzo rounded on Gojyo.

"What did you do? Why's he looking so damn miserable? So help me-"

"Gojyo didn't do anything, Sanzo," Hakkai said mildly whilst Gojyo spluttered out an indignant mouthful of stew. "I'm afraid it's the local children-"

"What about them?" Sanzo demanded, hands balling into fists as he pictured big kids, cruel kids, picking on Goku. The idiot monkey was perfectly capable of standing up for himself but Sanzo would bet he hadn't. Too fucking soft-hearted. Or too soft-_headed_, more like.

"There's a party," Hakkai said in an undertone, eyes flicking in the direction of the bathroom. "This afternoon. He wasn't invited."

Sanzo did a double-take. He'd been imagining cuts and bruises, broken bones even.

"Pfft. Is that _all_?"

"He thinks they don't like him, man!" Gojyo cried, slamming his spoon down on the table. "And that _hurts_. Not that I'd expect a cold bastard like you to understand."

"Why does he even care what they think of him?" Sanzo snapped back. "A bunch of snot-nosed brats? Is he insane?"

"Goku _likes_ people, Sanzo," Hakkai said with a sad smile. "Needs them. But, apart from us and the odd monk at Keiun, he doesn't get to see many, does he? He thinks of the children around here as his _friends_."

Goku came back into the room and Hakkai fell silent.

"I'm ready," the monkey announced in a flat, dull tone.

Sanzo took a closer look at him. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes red. He'd been crying. Something in Sanzo's chest clenched.

"Come on, then," he said briskly. "Let's go."

Goku's goodbyes were muted and he didn't even dart so much as a single wistful glance at the sukiyaki pot as they left. Out on the street, he fell into step behind Sanzo, dragging his feet a little and hanging his head. The tightness in Sanzo's chest got worse with every slow footfall and eventually he could stand it no more.

"Okay, where do they live?" he demanded, coming to a dead halt.

Goku started, confused by the sudden question.

"Wha'? Who?"

"Those little shits. The kids with the party. Where do they live?"

"I dunno ... the street behind Gojyo an' Hakkai, I guess ..."

"Right," Sanzo squared his shoulders and turned on his heel.

"Hunh? Wha' ..?" Goku cried, running after him.

"Let's see how they like a little Maten sutra with their goddamn cake!"

Sanzo heard Goku gasp in horror. Fractions of a second later, the monkey was in front of him, blocking his way.

"No! You can't! Please, Sanzo - _don't_!"

The moron seemed really distressed.

"Why not? I thought you were upset about being left out?"

Goku frowned.

"I am," he agreed, chewing his lip, "but I don't think they meant to. An' they're only kids. The sutra's way too ... I mean, only a real nutbar .. Oops! "

"You _what_?" Sanzo demanded through clenched teeth, barely resisting the temptation to vent his suddenly directionless rage by whacking Goku with the fan.

Goku grimaced and shuffled his feet nervously.

"Ya gotta admit usin' the Makai Tenjyo at a kids' party'd be a bit ..._weird_."

Much to his annoyance, Sanzo could see Goku's point because now that he came to _really_ think about it, the idea did seem pretty lunatic.

"They hurt you," he reminded Goku, strangely compelled to explain the inexplicable. "Don't you want to hurt them back?"

"Nah." A slow, relieved smile was blossoming on Goku's face. "That'd be stupid. Sure, I'd've liked to go to the party but ... well, I'd rather be with you."

Sanzo shook his head. One minute Goku was breaking his heart and the next he was grinning. Sanzo had been right all along. The idiot was crazy.

He, on the other hand, was perfectly sane.


End file.
